The Joseph Benjamin, Chester - A Christmas cracker

Dec 29 2006 By Jo Henwood

The Joseph Benjamin

'Twas the week before Christmas and the jobs were not done.
 
Not a present was wrapped, yet they all weighed a ton The cards were unwritten, the turkey unbought So we gave it all up for a much better thought. The children were safely still tucked up in school And Mum and I felt just like breaking the rules We abandoned the shopping, with one bag apiece And settled down comfortably for a right good old feast.'
 
Like Prancer and Dancer we had dodged the puddles and the crowds, heading northwards to a newly opened restaurant in the centre of Chester.
 
The Joseph Benjamin restaurant, at 140 Northgate, was opened last month by two brothers named, well you've guessed it, Ben and Joe.
 
Joe, 25, has won Cheshire Young Chef of the Year four times so our expectations were high.
 
The restaurant nestles beneath the City Walls, tucked at the side of Sayer's bakery. It promises local produce, seasonal vegetables and fine wines and as we walked through the door on a dismal winter afternoon there was a warm cheery welcome from all the staff.
 
The restaurant is small, seating only about 16 people. The brothers also offer a small delicatessen and you can buy lunch (no sandwiches) to take away.
 
We hadn't booked so our hearts sank when we saw that most tables were full, but thankfully another mother/daughter combo were just finishing and we were given a table. The cold, wet weather had given us both a hearty appetite and if we could manage it, we planned to do the full three courses. Our deadline was to be out by 3pm to make it to the school gates so we hoped the service was good.
 
The menu looked promising and wasn't daunt-ingly too large and the only thing lacking was a wide selection of soft drinks.
 
I had been out on The Chronicle's Christmas 'do' the night before so had had my fill of wine and fancied an elderflower pressé. Our waitress suggested we sample a glass of local apple juice from Willaston Fruit Farm.
 
The menu changes regularly, depending on the fresh produce available, with a choice of four starters and five main courses as well as tasting plates of North West specialities from the deli counter. There is a cheese plate with a selection of fine cheeses from the neighbouring Cheese Shop and from further afield, a platter of cured meats and salamis.
 
These are all available for £8.95 and would be a good idea to share with friends.